Chapter 3
“A Plan”
Perspective: Private
Sparkler and I looked at Even in eager anticipation as he looked at both of us. After a brief silence Sparkler was finally the one to speak up.
“And?” She said.
“And, what?” Even asked, flicking his ears.
“What do you mean and what?!” I demanded, raising my hooves in the air. “What about Case? What about Red?! What about the necklace!”
“Is that really all there is?” Sparkler asked, telekinetically lifting the journal and sifting through it as if expecting more of it to suddenly appear.
Even shrugged hopelessly, “That’s all there was. I’m guessing diaries, unlike books, don’t have to concern themselves with beginnings, middles and ends.”
“Well we all know where we can get stories that do,” I said, and then looked around a little more. “Sadly it didn’t tell us where the secret safe was…”
“But Historic had to have found it, he had the crowbar and everything.” Even speculated. “Probably to pry open a wall…”
I scanned the room and my eyes came across an old part of the wall with wood paneling on it...but the molding looked a little off. I came and used my magic to pull on it, the panel came off cleanly and I set it off to the side as the two teenagers watched me. Sure enough, behind it was metal safe with a single dial and handle on it. I was about ready to assume the position to crack it...only to discover that it was already opened. I moved the door open with my hoof and found that the safe was empty.
“So Historic did find the safe…” Even said looking inside.
“So we know where he was killed…” I said thoughtfully.
The only question now is who killed him.
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Sparkler and Even sat on the sidewalk as I fiddled with the payphone to call Twilight. I hoped her digging into the mystery back at Ponyville had turned up something. I was still a touch disappointed about the ending, or lack thereof, to Red and Case’s story but at least we can move on to finding Historic’s murderer.
Eventually I picked up the phone to hear my lovely wife’s voice on the end, “Hello?”
“Hey it’s me, we found the secret safe,” I explained to her. “Turns out Historic did manage to get what was inside but so far no ancient medallion.”
“Well I decided to do a lot of digging, helps that a lot of the staff at the station are eager to help a princess, and I managed to trace your diary. Turns out Historic got it from the granddaughter of some secretary. I called her and she’s sending anything else she may have to me now.”
“That’s fine Twilight but turns out the detective’s story was a bust.” I explained. “Might not have anything to do with why Historic was killed.”
“Actually that’s what I wanted to call you about too. Your ballistics report on the bullets came back. Turns out they’re matched to a .38 revolver that was used in an unsolved double homicide back during EW2, when the medallion was taken.”
“Somebody held onto a gun for that long?” I said to myself. “Wait, who were the victims?”
“Two ponies, Case File and Red Light.”
“Twilight, those are the names of the author and his love.” I then went on to give her the abridged version of the story. “Good thing Ballistics have been around for almost a hundred years.”
“Unfortunately detailed records weren’t popular at the time. The record says they were found in the back of a carriage at the time, parked outside of the club and both victims were shot with our revolver. They were then put in the car and it was set on fire.” Twilight explained.
“And the carriage driver?” I asked thoughtfully.
“Was sampling the whiskey in the bar at the time, he’s the one who found the bodies.” Twilight answered. “Only suspect at the time was Presto, your local crime boss there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest him though.”
“Thinking he may have killed them after catching them running off with their medallion?” I asked.
“But how did our killer get ahold of his gun so many years later?” Twilight replied.
“Could be possible he killed Historic to get at his medallion...but that would make him like 90…” I speculated.
“Unfortunately he died four months after the murder. Can’t be our killer…”
“Alright, I’m gonna send Even and Sparkler to dig up the old case files.” I said, “Keep digging and send any files you find to Manehattan's division of the EPD. Any luck finding where Presto’s revolver may have ended up?”
“Hmmm...Ah! Here it is now! Thank you Officer Dunnit.” She said to somepony on her end. “Turns out somepony did buy Presto’s stuff, including two .38 revolvers. The famous hunter of treasure, Treasure Seeker.” she chuckled a little at that. I smiled a little back.
“Didn’t the witness say that Historic became interested in hunting treasure because of this guy?” I asked.
“I also got word thanks to television that Treasure Seeker made a rather public return to Manehatten from Prance. Treasure has been seeking the medallion for almost fifteen years at this point. I also got word from one of his cast that he did indeed scamper off to meet our victim before the murder.”
“I’m starting to think Treasure got a little too desperate to find his medallion…”
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Perspective: Evenstar
Private ran off to start making the calls to hunt Treasure Seeker down. That left...me...alone...with Sparkler. We walked down Manehatten’s streets towards the old evidence storage facility that Private pointed us too. It was an older brick building, from when the city was founded, and nowadays looking pretty shabby and worn down. The dim interior held lots of shelves, and even more dust. Barring the way was a gate, and a desk behind which an older officer sat waiting for his pension. We both walked in and I said to Sparkler, “Even with Private’s authority as Celestia’s personal crime fighter how are we gonna convince the guard to let us in? If Insight finds out it was us who accessed the files we’ll be screwed.” I asked Sparkler, pointing to the rather old pony manning the desk, casually rifting through files.
Sparkler smiled and said, “Well I have an idea, just follow my lead.” She then trotted towards the front desk.
She’s so amazingly confident and cool...gosh she’s amazing…
I shook my head as Sparkler came up to the desk. The old police pony looked at us and said, “Can I help you two?”
“Hi my name is uuuuh,” Sparkler hesitated for a minute and then said, “Starlet Butterfly! And this is my friend and partner Matzo Ball.”
“Well how can I help you youngins?” the stallion asked us.
“See my friend and I are writing a report about local history. We’ve been looking into doing a report on some of Manehatten’s oldest buildings,” Sparkler said, poking me with her hoof to get me going.
“Uh, yeah and we uh, heard there was a case that went down at the Goldilocks Bar years ago. We were wondering if there was any information we could look at in evidence?” I added, still not sure this was a good idea.
“You kids kinda need a warrant and an officer’s permission to look at evidence like that.” The old stallion said with some suspicion.
That would take ages and knowing Insight he’d get all the detectives and cops in the EPD to not give us permission. He can’t technically keep Private out of cases, but I’m guessing bureaucracy will always be an issue…
I tried to come up with an alternate plan but Sparkler suddenly reached and took the old man’s hooves, looking at him pleadingly. “Sir please, we really need to get a good grade on this report. I’ve been up from the crack of dawn to midnight in order to take care of my sick and ailing mother. That means some assignments got put on the side out of necessity. If I don’t get a good grade I’ll be forced to drop out of school and I won’t be able to get a job to take care of my poor, sick mother! Please sir! Please!” Tears flowed from her eyes as she pleaded with him.
The old stallion, obviously moved by this sudden outpouring of emotion wiped his eyes with one hoof and said, “All right little lady, if you think it will help with your report, then you can go and look at the evidence box.”
“Really?! Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou!” She said happily.
“Just be sure to wear gloves, be very careful with the evidence and put everything back where you found it.” He said gently as he opened the door to the evidence locker.
“Don’t worry sir, we’ll be very careful.” Sparkler said, wiping her eyes and leading the way back into the evidence locker.
I looked around the dusty shelves that was the evidence locker. Thankfully this place was so old no cameras were installed. That’s budgeting for you I guess. We then began the long process of locating and trying to find the next piece of this crazy puzzle
As Sparkler pulled the evidence box off the shelf I said, “So, pretty convincing back there.”
“I was an orphan for a little while, you kinda have to learn to beg and play up the sympathy card.” Sparkler explained as her magic gently set the evidence box on the floor. She gave the box a look and said, “Somepony else messed with this, some of the dust is brushed off.”
“Historic must’ve dug through this thing.” I said, opening the box and looking at the pieces of evidence inside. “Can’t help but think we’re just following his hoofsteps”
Sparkler pulled on some hoofgloves and gently picked out a picture from the evidence box. “A picture of Case and Red...after the fact…” She said, showing the picture to me. Two corpses in the trunk of a carriage, burned almost beyond recognition.
“Damnit Case…” I said, shaking my head. “You risked everything for her and what did that get you?”
“Well at least they were together in the end…” Sparkler said with a quiet sigh. “Shame they didn’t get away.”
“I just hope we can find out just what connection this murder has to our murder in the present…”
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Perspective: Private Eye
After a few phone calls I managed to track down Treasure who agreed to meet me at an old diner. I sat across from the earth pony stallion as he casually sipped tea as I had just a little bit of coffee. Treasure was a rather older stallion who didn’t seem to let age get him down. Tall, with features onepony might think were handsome at one point but age was just starting to catch up. He had a gold colored coat and greying hair in his mane.
“So you bought all of the revolvers?” I asked him when he was done sipping his tea.
“Yes detective and you are welcome to test fire them all yourself. I had nothing to do with Historic’s tragic death but I wish to help however I can.” He said with a smile that was clearly practiced. He wasn’t lying though...that much was true.
“So how did you know Historic?” I asked candidly.
“You have to understand, detective, that as one of the more...public treasure hunters and an actual real one unlike fictional treasure hunters like Daring Do, I get a lot of amateurs knocking on my door. This or that pony claiming to have a lead on the lost treasure of Griffonstone or whatever. So Historic came knocking on my door, like many before and asked about the Medallion.” He said, and sighed. “The most elusive treasure yet…”
“And what did you say to him?” I asked.
“First he burdened me with his preposterous story about a journal that was supposed to hold the missing piece of the puzzle to finding it. Something about an old private investigator's diary holding all the clues.” He said dismissively. “Totally preposterous of course.”
I tried not to smirk and simply said, “And you obviously didn’t believe him.”
“Of course not,” He said, shaking his head. “When I asked him if I could see the alleged diary he refused. But he still wanted access to all of my research on the Goldilocks itself. The whole thing was truly absurd. He even asked to walk out the back door, said somepony was following him.”
“Who? Did you see who was following him?” I asked quickly.
“Somepony wearing a white suit, didn’t really get a good look at him.” Treasure said, shaking his head. “Guess everypony’s after that Medallion these days.”
I really should inform Twilight about this development…
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Perspective: Evenstar
“This feels like we’re looking for a needle in a haystack,” I said frustratedly as I pushed aside a photo of Presto. “Except we have no idea where the haystack is.”
Sparkler pulled out a folder and smiled, “I think we found our Needle,” She said, looking through it. “It’s a witness statement from one Boo Betty…”
“That was Case’s secretary.” I said, taking the statement and looking it over. “This statement was made by her after Case’s death. Boo Betty witnessed this conversation…
Sparkler was suddenly looking over my shoulder, getting awfully...close...when did it get hot in here? “Uh, Sparkler why…” I stuttered.
“Because I like it when you read it,” Sparkler said with a smile. “You got a great, Noiresque voice.”
“Uh yeah sure…” I gulped and then read the conversation…
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“I’ve worked this from every angle doll…” I said with a sigh as Red and I sat in my office. It had been a few days since we tried coming up with a plan to get into that secret safe. Things were looking better for me, I was cleaner, sporting a better suit and most of all haven’t touched a drop of liquor since Red came into my life. I wanted that life to be long and with her forever. But…
“There is no way we’re gonna be able to break into Presto’s secret safe.” I admitted, “I can’t crack it, and the goons will get me or you before we can even look at it.”
“So then how do we get it?” Red asked worriedly.
“Simple,” I replied, “You’re gonna walk out the front door with the medallion around your neck tonight.”
“How?” Red asked, shaking her head. “It was hard ditching Presto’s goons just to come here and they will never leave me alone if the medallion’s round my neck.”
“Well it’ll be a cakewalk with the help of one Mighty Punch.” I said with a nod.
“Mighty Punch?”
“A prize fighter, he’s goin’ up against Butter Bee tonight for the title of welterweight champion,” I explained.
“So?”
“So every good clover lovin Lyrish pony is gonna be on that radio cheerin Mighty on. And the griffons in Presto’s goon squad won’t be able to resist a good fight. So they’ll be huddled around the radio so focused they’ll barely pay attention to anything. You then wait for a rousing part of the fight, then excuse yourself. Nopony or griffon is gonna be paying much attention so you’ll just slip right out the back door.” I said with a confident smile gracing my face.
That same smile came on Red’s face as she said happily, “It’s perfect Case! Nopony will be the wiser!”
“It ain’t perfect it’s stupid!” Boo Betty said coming in looking like she was about to beat me seven ways to Sunday. “Are you really gonna place all of your bets on this ludicrous plan Mr. File?”
“Red turned me into a right proper stallion from the moment I met her,” I retorted. “If that ain’t a miracle I don’t know what is.”
“And what are you even basing this relationship on huh?” Boo said, pointing first to Red, “A robbery?” Then she pointed to me. “And a lie?”
“A lie?” Red asked, looking at me. Gosh those eyes there was no way I could keep this hidden for long.
I sighed and admitted, “Truth is, doll, it was no coincidence I met you in that club tonight. I was hired to go look for ya, only I couldn’t tell ya who hired me.” I hesitated but Red was havin’ none of that.
“Celestia’s left teat Case, who hired ya to find me?” Red asked, not letting me get away with this one.
“It...was yer sister…” I admitted.
I was expecting anything, outrage, anger, maybe a little happiness at knowing her sister cared for her..instead all I got was a confused look.
“Case...my sister has been missin’ for years…”
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“Her sister was the one who was missing?!” Sparkler said in surprise. “What happens next?!”
“I don’t know, the statement ends there.” I replied.
“But why did the sister not want to be found?”
“I don’t know!”
“She set up Case File to find Red but why?”
“I don’t know!”
“This is so cool!”
“I know!”
After all of that...we realized how close we got and I scooted away, packing up the evidence box. “We’d uh, better get back to Private…”
“Uh, yeah sure.” Sparkler said, helping out.
What was wrong with me? I just clicked with her for some reason. I can’t...really like her can I…? Well...part of me wishes but...well…
I put it out of my mind and went back to work.
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Perspective: Twilight
I stood in the old library as I worked my side of things. While I did miss the days of trekking around here and there with Private I told myself that I was better off here. Still...part of me wishes that we’d work together more often but, well, when the wings came out there were more priorities for me to worry about.
I finished telling the officers about Private’s interview with Treasure. Something told me he was hiding something. Dunnit was running around, something about digging up another witness. I was about to close another book on the Goldilocks when my door opened. I turned and saw a uniform come in and bow his head. I shook my head and gave a motion for him to rise. Sweet Celestia this was annoying…
“Your highness, remember when Treasure said he saw a pony with a white suit following Historic around? Well we caught this one trying to break into Historic’s office.” He said, and behind him two more uniforms came up with a pony in a white suit only…
I squinted and held up the picture of Presto, the mob boss at the center of all this..and then saw...that this young stallion looked almost exactly like him.
“Are you...Presto…?” I asked the stallion as he looked a little worried, dusting off his white suit.
“Uh, yeah that’s me.” He said, obviously nervous at both being caught and talking to a Princess. “I’m Presto Advacado...Presto the mob boss you all are thinking of, he’s my grandfather…”